In recognition of the long-standing partnership of the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Government of Singapore and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) on TVET training for principals and administrators across the region, the annual Regional Program on TVET was held at the ITE Campus, Singapore from May 9-13, 2016. The eighth of its kind organized under the Singapore Cooperation Program, the program has been a regular training and development opportunity extended by the country to CPSC member countries.

The program provided an overview of Singapore's Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Systems and shared ITE's experience in its strategic planning and delivery of TVET, which consisted of the following components:

a. Overview of TVET and the education system of Singapore;b. Technical education college management in response to the changing needs of industries;c. Approaches of TVET to curriculum design and development, pedagogy model and training, educational technology, student development and management as well as assessment system; andd. Site visits to institutes of technical education and other tertiary education institutions in Singapore.

This year, 23 TVET administrators and principals from CPSC member countries and organizations such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and TEVSAPHIL-Philippines were invited to attend the program.

Some of the themes discussed and presented in the regional program include the following:

a. Overview of the Asia-Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC)b. The Singapore experience on planning a successful TVET systemc. Innovative practices and use of ICT in education and trainingd. Management of an ITE college and holistic student developmente. ITE curriculum designf. Developing quality leaders to build quality staffg. ITE experience on quality teacher developmenth. Academic quality assurance in ITEWi. College financial management

The participants also presented their own action plans outlining all the lessons and experiences that they have gained during the 5-day regional training program. They were also given the opportunity to tour the facilities of ITE and experience its state-of-the-art infrastructure on education and training.

The participants accompanied by Dr. G. Kulanthaivel, CPSC Acting Director General, during the tour of ITE’s facilities. A presentation of the Singapore Education System by Mr. Tan Seng Hua, CEO of ITE Education Services (ITEES)

Mr. Samuel Ng, Director of Program Development Center of the ITE Academy,delivering his presentation on ITE’s experience on quality teacher development. A student from ITE demonstrating a technological initiative to the program participants.